House Dems: Associated Press Wrongly Inflated Health Care Bill Cost By Quoting Unnamed Aide
House Dem staffers are furious this morning with the Associated Press, accusing the news outlet of grotesquely inflating the price tag of the new health care bill by relying on the calculations of an anonymous aide — while refusing to mention the much lower estimate provided by the non-partisan Congressional Budget Office.
The AP’s price estimate is “misleading at best,” Matthew Beck, a spokesman for the House Ways and Means Committee, told me. Here’s how the AP reported the number:
House Democratic leaders, pledging to meet the president’s goal of health care legislation before their August break, are offering a $1.5 trillion plan that for the first time would make health care a right and a responsibility for all Americans.
The AP stated the $1.5 trillion price tag as fact. But here’s how the AP got the number:
The liberal-leaning plan lacked figures on total costs, but a House Democratic aide said the total bill would add up to about $1.5 trillion over 10 years. The aide spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the private calculations.
But another House Dem staffer said the “$1.5 number exists only in the head of an unnamed source.” What’s more, the Congressional Budget Office’s preliminary analysis put the cost of the bill at $1 trillion — two-thirds the amount offered by the unnamed aide. The AP account doesn’t mention the CBO’s finding.
“The only estimate that counts is the final, comprehensive estimate by the CBO, which has not been completed,” Beck says.
To be clear, no one yet knows the final price tag, and it’s possible some unnamed aide did venture the inflated number. But it seems pretty reckless to state the inflated number as outright fact — and not provide the CBO number, either.
Update: TPM reports that Republicans have already seized on the bogus AP number.
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Such is the AP nowadays. Don’t discount that they lableled it “liberal leaning” as well. But when it comes to anything about Republicans and conservatives they play the “we don’t do opinion” card.
On that note Glenzilla has called out Chuck Todd today and Chuck has agreed to do a podcast with GG which will be put up online later one. I highly suggest preemptively that everyone check out Glenzilla’s blog as the day goes on because I have an idea that the podcast will end up going viral unless Chuck refuses to answer Glenn’s questions.
SG — Wow. Chuck agreed to do this? He’s actually pretty accessible to bloggers, to his credit.
Ta for the tip off SG. The AP has become a dishonest and deceitful outfit. The last time the CBO numbers came out it was the talk of the town. Now, with the ITR to cover 97% the AP let’s it slide. That unnamed Dem ade should be sacked. We don’t need idiots lying about the costs issue.Thanks Greg for calling out AP.
This is ridiculous. I’ve read on other sites this figure has already been parroted on GMA and other morning shows.
the AP? How many times have they published obviously photo-shopped and/or posed pictures.
Not surprised… they report a FALSE amount, by an UNAMED source, and label it LIBERAL-LEANING.
The Repubs pick up on the article, run with it… just long enough before the AP posts a correction (or maybe not).. but it won’t matter by that time because the myth is out there and the Repubs will repeat it.(You know how they don’t like facts)
And as they say, a lie travel twice around the world while the truth is still putting it’s shoes on.
Sounds like an inside job to me…
Yeah and FNC ran with it big time this morning. They’ve since corrected it somewhat to say 1-1.5 trillion, which still isn’t true.
A few years back they published pictures of “attrocities” in Lebanon, that were horribly staged.. just amateurish.
- LeAnn- they are not biased – they have screwed up the facts so many times, on so many sides – they are just not to be believed. They rely on Jr level people and free-lance stringers – and a lack of editor-vetting … it shows time and time again.
Their reporting in Lebanon a few years back was nearly criminal in its manufactured sensational.
BigBob-
In a way, you kind of just proved my point.. you said: “They rely on Jr level people and free-lance stringers – and a lack of editor-vetting … it shows time and time again.”
Who is to say some of these jr. level people don’t carry water for specific people and groups? I say inside job because the people reporting our news have their own agendas. (i.e. Recent emails posted of “journalists” pledging their loyalty to Mark Sandford…Jake Tapper for one)
So to have something like this reported as FACT from an outlet as big as the AP is a boon to those looking to distort the facts
This is why Obama needs OFA, so he can take his health care plan directly to the people. He can’t rely on the national media and he’s known that since he started running for president.
Welcome to California. You notice what is happening in CA? A burden of social programs paid for by the working class. If I recall my history class it seems the fall of Rome was brought on by too much government and too many taxes?